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A Sunni Muslim community group has called for all Australians,
both Muslim and non-Muslim, to denounce outspoken Sheik Taj el-din
al-Hilaly.

Darulfatwa, or the Islamic High Council of Australia, has
distanced itself from the controversial cleric, who last week
sparked outrage with comments on an Egyptian chat show.

In the television interview, the sheik labelled white
Australians "liars" and said Muslims were more entitled to be in
Australia than those with a convict heritage.

In comments aired on Australian television on Saturday night he
also took a swipe at Mr Howard, calling him "Mr Me Too" because "he
wait for any news from America to say 'me too' ".

Responding to the criticism, Mr Howard said it was up to the
Islamic community to show leadership on the issue, warning they
risked embarrassment and hurt if the sheik was not reined in.

Darulfatwa today issued a statement saying it had fielded scores
of calls from non-Muslim Australians angered by the sheik's
comments, and received a number of complaints from Muslims who
claimed they had been the target of discrimination.

"Hilaly has again been a divisive figure in the community
causing tensions between Muslim and non-Muslim Australians,"
Darulfatwa said.

"Hilaly is not a revered figure nor is he an Islamic
representative to Australia's Muslims.

"Australian Muslims must take every opportunity to denounce
Hilaly as their leader, including those at the Lebanese Muslim
Association, while non-Muslims can support their fellow Muslim
friends by not recognising or labelling Hilaly as a mufti to
Australia's Muslim community."

The sheik is on holiday in Egypt in what was supposed to be a
self-imposed exile following comments he made late last year during
a Ramadan speech at Sydney's Lakemba mosque.

He compared immodestly dressed women to "uncovered meat'' and
said they were responsible for the sexual assaults they
incurred.

The sheik said his comments on Egyptian television were taken
out of context.

He said the same about the media reports of his comments made at
Lakemba mosque.

The Australian Federation of Islamic Council's legal adviser
Haset Sali labelled the sheik's recent diatribe as insane and said
the comments had horrified the vast majority of Australian
Muslims.

"He has been about as helpful to Islam in Australia as Adolf
Hitler was to Christianity during the Second World War," Mr Sali
said.

"Hilaly increasingly chooses to rewrite what he thinks should be
in the Holy Koran and his sick and vile comments in his recent
interviews are not only un-Islamic but also inhumane and highly
disgraceful."

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